Oyat (607).pdf - Prime Journals

Prime Journal of Business Administration and Management (BAM)ISSN: 2251-1261. Vol. 3(6), pp. 1043-1046, June 26 th , 2013www.primejournal.org/BAM© Prime JournalsReview PaperStrategic management of urbanization and rural urbanmigration problem in poor regions: A review of thedynamicsOyat ChristopherSenior lecturer, Department of Development Studies, Gulu University, Uganda.Accepted 15 th June, 2013Policy makers and technocrats in charge of urban authorities should appreciate the fact that urbanization andrural-urban migration phenomena is real in developing countries, and the problems and challenges embeddedtherein should be strategically and proactively tackled. It is emphasized that there should not be discriminationby way of compelling without proper plan the urban poor to recede and occupy rural areas as if towns andcities are meant for only the well-to-do people. Equally vital is the fact that development actors such as nongovernmentalorganizations and United Nations agencies should unequivocally render capacity buildingsupport with similar magnitude provided to the ruralites. All stakeholders in towns and cities have obligationsto ensure that urban livelihood services and the general infrastructures are improved for the mutual benefit ofthe entire town dwellers.Key words: Urbanization, migration and poverty.INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUNDUrbanization is looked at as a process by which anincreasing proportion of the population becomesconcentrated in urban centres. The trend in the worldshows that urban centres and urban population havebeen increasing tremendously, for example in 1800, therewere only 3% of the population living in urban areas. By1900, the population had increased to 13%. In 2002, it isdocumented that world urban population stood at about50%. In the case of Uganda, and in accordance with2002 census, 12% of the total population lived in urbancentres.Table 1 clearly shows that there has been a generalstudy rise in the urban population worldwide. But ofspecific note is the trend in less developed regionsespecially in Africa and Asia of late. Whereas the worldurban population and that of more developed regionshave been increasing since 1950 and projected as shownabove, come 2025, it is interesting that the rate ofurbanization and rural-urban migration appears to befaster in less developed regions of the world (Todaro,2003).Urban scholars and development economists havenoted that urban population generally engage in nonagriculturalactivities like industrial, institutional andcommercial activities. And because of high urbanizationand population growth world over, there has been atendency to destroy objects, degrade soil, cut trees andcultivate more land to meet farmers’ demand of the everincreasing urban population.To meet the needs of burgeoning urban populations,stimulate both urban and rural development and achievemillennium development goals (MDGs), planners andpolicy makers should reconsider some of their biasesagainst urban growth. The world over, it is evident thaturbanization and rural urban migration can play a positiverole in social and economic development (UNFPAReport, 2007). Historically, the statistical associationbetween urbanization and economic growth has beenstrong. Today, cities and towns generally have greaterpotential for sustained development than rural areas,especially when look at the potential for reducing poverty.It is a fact that cities and towns are the main sites foreconomic growth in most countries, and do account for ahigh share of national economic production. It is arguedthat countries that are highly urbanized tend to havehigher incomes, more stable economies, stronger